A: Yes you do require a Doctor’s Referral, however we provide through our Doctor here a refferal when you have placed an order. This is free of charge, and a consultation is not required unless stated on certain tests.

Q: So all I need to do is order online or over the phone, and wait for my blood test kit to come in the post, take my sample using the finger prick tools provided and send it all back to your lab?

A: Yes, the process is that simple.

Q: How soon will I get my results?

A: The turnaround time is a guide only, and will sometimes depend upon assay run schedules. Most results are provided within the time frame provided, but there may be technical difficulties, or the results may need to be re-run to check accuracy, or our Doctor may be held up passing comment. We can easily give you a status report, so please do email us or phone us to chase results, not the Laboratory itself.

Q: Do I get a copy of my results?

A: You will receive a PDF copy of your laboratory certificate which prints onto A4 paper. If you would like a paper copy, let us know and we will post one out to you.

Q: Do I have to pay extra to get the blood drawn?

A: You are charged nothing extra for the blood draw. The price you see is the price you pay.

Q: What is the difference between reported and unreported results?

A: Reported results will be sent to the GP for comment, this process can take up to two working days to complete in addition to the stated turnaround time for results. If you select unreported results, then you choose not to have the interpretation of our GP and they will be sent directly to you. This is advisable if you already have a specialist to share the results with or are able to interpret them yourself. In the event of any results being of a critical nature we will always be in contact to make you aware of this.

By placing the lancet against your finger, a hidden needle springs out to puncture your skin. The needle then safely pops back into the lancet device. The lancet is a sterile class 2 medical device.

How much blood is needed?

Typically, we will need 15-18 drops of blood for your home blood test. This equates to around 800 microlitres, or 0.8 millilitres. Visually, this is about 1/8 of a teaspoon – so not very much at all.

Is it accurate?

Yes, the tests are accurate and are tested by UK laboratories.

Does it hurt?

Yes it does a little. But having a finger prick home blood test hurts a lot less than a nurse extracting blood from your arm using a vacutainer needle. We’ve trialled five different lancets and supply the one that delivers the best results, enabling you to send a good quality sample to the lab.

What kind of home blood tests can be carried out with a fingerprick test?

As empowering as the blood test kits are, with a small quantity of blood there is a limit to the number of tests that may be performed on one sample. Additionally, the risk of the blood clotting is greater than with a traditional vacutainer sample, especially as the return to the laboratory is by post. We therefore exclude large profiles from this blood collection method, and exclude anything including or that is a part of liver function tests, electrolytes or full blood counts.

What if I don’t get enough blood?

About 15% of our customers that choose to provide a sample using the finger-prick method will fail to provide enough viable sample for the laboratory to analyse. The most common reason for failure is not reading the instructions, so we urge you to do this. If for some reason you cannot provide enough sample, we are happy to offer you the following options.

TRY AGAIN - Another finger-prick kit can be sent out to you, we would need to charge a small administration fee of £5 as in our experience, if you have failed once with this method, you are very likely to fail again.